But here, in order to attend to the various animals which had to be taken into the ark, Noah was obliged to cease arguing for a time; and the way in which this difficult business of the animals was represented, greatly amused and interested the children. Each of Noah’s sons and daughters-in-law mentioned the names of many birds and beasts, and as they named them, they held up great figures painted on parchment, and cut out to represent the various creatures of which they spoke. _Shem_ began the list: “Sir, here are lions, leopards in, Horses, mares, oxen, and swine, Goats, calves, sheep, and kine Here sitten [settled] may you see.” “Oh, look at the lion!” exclaimed Margery. “Isn’t he beautiful? And the pig, Colin! Did you ever see such a fat pig in your life?” _Ham_ had now begun to show the animals in his charge: “Camels, asses, men may find; Buck, doe, hart, and hind,” he chanted, holding up the figure of each beast before putting it in the ark. “Take here cats and dogs too (said _Japhet_), Otter, fox, fulmart also; Hares hopping gaily, can ye Have kail here for to eat.” Presently also Noah’s wife, very scornfully laughing, showed _her_ animals: “And here are bears, wolves set, Apes, owls, marmoset; Weasels, squirrels, and ferret, Here they eat their meat,” she said. Shem’s wife then went on with the list of creatures, first exclaiming at their number: “Yet more beasts are in this house! Here cats come in full crowse [comfort], Here a rat and here a mouse, They stand nigh together.” Margery wondered how the cats would get on with the rats and mice, but Shem’s wife offered no explanation, and immediately after her followed the wife of Ham: “And here are fowls, less and more (she declared), Herons, cranes, and bittern; Swans, peacocks, have them before! [in front] Meat for this weather.” “Here are cocks, kites, crows (said Japhet’s wife), Rooks, ravens, many rows; Cuckoos, curlews, whoso knows, Each one in his kind. And here are doves, ducks, drakes, Redshanks, running through the lakes— And each fowl that language makes In this ship men may find.” At length, after the animals had all gone safely into the ark, Noah, to the huge delight of the crowd, turned again to his wife, and once more began to urge her to enter. “Wife, come in, why standest thou there? (he entreated). Thou art ever forward, that I dare swear; Come on God’s half [behalf], time it were, For fear lest that we drown.” But the foolish woman could not be persuaded. Nothing would induce her to enter the ark, she declared, unless her “gossips” were allowed to come too; and that, as we know from the story of the Flood, was forbidden, since only Noah and his family were allowed to embark.